A cold and slushy spring greeting to you today!
  
While the white slush looks to be melting it is still a balmy 34 degrees...it may be spring but we are still waiting to see it!
  
We sincerely hope you enjoyed your box last week and took some time to check out the recipes. We have found it gets us all in the kitchen together more often when trying new recipes.  It may take a little extra effort but it is so worth it when we are all sitting around the table enjoying a variety of delicious meals. We have found some favorites over the years and will continue sharing them with you.
  
  
  
Organic becomes a way of life for many of us who long to provide good nutritious food for our families.  We know it can be a challenge, so our hope is to be a provider for as many as possible. So, please spread the word.


The greenhouses are filling up and we are making plans to get out in the fields as soon as possible. Summer always comes, and we have hope that this season will bring a beautiful variety of good food and fun!
  
peace
  
-Sarah, Ashley, Ethel & the farm family. 

  Recipes of the week
 

Kale, Mushroom, and Cheddar Bake

  

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bunch kale , center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 loaf (185 grams) ciabatta bread, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) milk
  • 4 ounces (112 g) grated cheddar cheese

Method

1 Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with a little olive oil and set aside.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the thinly sliced kale and cook until just wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

 

3 Add the onions and mushrooms, and add salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

4 In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs.

 

5 Line the bottom of the casserole pan with one third of the thinly sliced bread. Spread one half of the kale mushroom onion mixture over the bread.  Sprinkle one third of the cheddar cheese over the top. Lay down the second third of the bread slices. Top again with the remaining kale mixture, and then with a third of the cheese.  Lay the remaining slices of bread over the top.

 

6 Pour the milk egg mixture over the bread, pressing down with a spatula so that the milk is absorbed by the casserole layers. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar cheese. (At this point you can chill overnight for making ahead, or continue.)

7 Let the casserole sit for about 15 minutes to further absorb the milk while you preheat the oven to 350�F (180�C).  Cover with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving.

 

 

Goat Cheese and Zucchini Frittata with Butter Lettuce Salad

 

 

  

INGREDIENTS

 

Frittata

3 Large Eggs

1/4 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup zucchini, diced

2 teaspoon canola oil

2 ounces fresh goat cheese

 

Salad

1 head butter lettuce

chives, sliced 1/2 inch, for garnich

dill leaves, for garnich

 

Vinaigrette

1/4 sherry vinegar

3/4 cup canola oil

salt

ground pepper 

  
  

 

PREPARATION:

Frittata

  1. Preheat oven to 400�F.
  2. Vigorously beat eggs until frothy. Heat oil an 8-inch non stick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions and zucchini and saut� until softened and slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and swirl around pan using a spatula. Gently lift up the edges of the egg to evenly disperse.
  3. Once egg has begun to set, crumble goat cheese over the top. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until egg has just set. Place a plate on top of pan and invert. Slice into wedges and serve.

Vinaigrette

  1. Combine the vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually drizzle in the oil while whisking. Taste and adjust for salt.
  2. Place the lettuce leaves in a bowl and toss with a small amount of the vinaigrette (reserve the remaining vinaigrette in the fridge for later use). Delicately place a mound of lettuce, leaves overlapping, together on the plate. Garnish with the dill and chives. Serve alongside frittata.

 

 
Goat Cheese Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Butternut Squash

 

 

 

  • 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1pinch coarse salt
  • 1 pound pasta (almost any will work; I used spaghetti)
  • 8 ounces goat cheese
  • 5tablespoons butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1/2 cup vermouth (or white wine)
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 1cup caramelized onions
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • toasted pecans, optional

 

    1. Preheat the oven to 400. Peel and dice the butternut squash. Place the squash on a sheet pan, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt (a good pinch or two). Toss to combine, then make sure all the pieces are flat on the pan, not on top of each other. Bake until the squash is tender and browned, stirring occasionally, 20-25 minutes.
    2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt (I add 1 tablespoon), then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving � cup of the pasta waster.
    3. While the pasta is cooking, crumble the goat cheese in the bottom of large bowl. Melt the butter over medium heat, and then stir in the garlic and saut� until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the vermouth and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, and add the basil and thyme.
    4. Add the pasta to the goat cheese, and using tongs or serving spoons, toss until the goat cheese is evenly coating the pasta (pour a little of the reserved water on top if you need to loosen the cheese). Pour the butter-herb mixture on top, and toss until combined. Add the roasted butternut squash and caramelized onions, and toss gently until combined; season with salt and pepper to taste, and top with toasted pecans, if desired.


                                       

Produce

 

Large

Green Kale  LM

Red Boston Lettuce  LM

Zucchini  LM

White Mushrooms  PGM

Grapefruit  SO

Peeled Butternut  JC IPM

Grape Tomatoes  LM

Beets  LM

Carrots  JC IPM

Red Cabbage  LM

Onions  JC IPM

Crimini Mushrooms  PGM

 

Medium

Green Kale  LM

Red Boston Lettuce  LM

Zucchini  LM

White Mushrooms  PGM

Grapefruit  SO

Peeled Butternut  JC IPM

Grape Tomatoes  LM

Carrots  JC IPM

Red Cabbage  LM

Onions  JC IPM

 

Small

Green Kale  LM

Red Boston Lettuce  LM

Zucchini  LM

White Mushrooms  PGM

Grapefruit  SO

Fennel  LM

Jalapenos  LM

Onions  JC IPM

         

Farms

  

Lady Moon  LM

Spooners Organics  SO

Joe Czaikowski  JC IPM

Phillips Gourmet Mushrooms  PGM

 

 

All produce is certified organic unless specifically notated.

 

i.e. this week - IPM onions and carrots.

 

       

  Due to availability all shares may not have the exact same contents.

         

  IPM

 

Integrated Pest Management

 

 

Age-old, common-sense practices are what many people associate with IPM. Today many growers no longer apply pesticides to food on a regular basis regardless of whether or not there are insects, weeds, or other pest problems. In some parts of the country, food is being marketed as IPM food.

 

Some practices for preventing pest damage may include:

  • inspecting crops and monitoring crops for damage, and
  • using mechanical trapping devices, natural predators (e.g., insects that eat other insects), insect growth regulators, mating disruption substances (pheromones), and if necessary, chemical pesticides.  The use of biological pesticides is an important component of IPM.

 

What is IPM?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.

 

How do IPM programs work?

 

IPM is not a single pest control method but, rather, a series of pest management evaluations, decisions and controls.

 

Once monitoring, identification, and action thresholds indicate that pest control is required, and preventive methods are no longer effective or available, IPM programs then evaluate the proper control method both for effectiveness and risk. 

 

 -United States Environmental Protection Agency

         

Onions

 

  

Onion Nutrition

In the rush to gather health information on the processed foods we eat, it can be easy to forget to check the nutritional facts of vegetables like the onion.

Onions are high in vitamin C, a good source of fiber, and with only 45 calories per serving, add abundant flavor to a wide variety of food. Onions are sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide a number of other key nutrients.

 

Onion Trivia

What compound in onions brings tears to your eyes?
Sulfuric compounds. To cut down on the crying, chill the onion and cut into the root end of the onion last.

How many pounds of fresh and storage type onions does the average American eat per year? 20 pounds.

How many truckloads of onions are consumed each day?
Over 450 semi-truck loads.

What country boasts the highest per capita consumption of onions?
Libya, with 66.8 pounds of onions consumed per person each year.

 

 -From the national onion association